Two students of Jamia Millia Islamia were found dead in the Upper Ganga Canal in Masuri area of Ghaziabad on Saturday in what police suspect is a case of an affair turned sour. The deceased, Babar, 19, and Saddam, 20, had gone missing on the afternoon of April 10 after leaving their house in Meerut’s Jasola village.

The area in Ghaziabad’s Upper Ganga Canal from where the bodies of Babar, 19, and Saddam, 20, were recovered.(HT photo)

Two students of Jamia Millia Islamia were found dead in the Upper Ganga Canal in Masuri area of Ghaziabad on Saturday in what police suspect is a case of an affair turned sour.

The deceased, Babar, 19, and Saddam, 20, had gone missing on the afternoon of April 10 after leaving their house in Meerut’s Jasola village.

Police said the prime accused in the case was Haidar, who too had a relationship with the 20-year-old woman.

According to police, Babar was initially in a relationship with the 20-year-old woman. The woman, however, later got involved with one Haidar, who too hailed from Jasola village in Meerut.

“After getting to know about Haidar, Babar approached one Ayyub — a teacher at a small madarsa in Chijarsi, Noida. Ayyub promised to give Babar a ‘tabeez’ which would help his girlfriend come back to him,” said Ajab Singh, station house officer, Mundali police station.

“Somehow, Haidar came to know about the ‘tabeez’ and got infuriated. He then offered Ayyub Rs 2 lakh and a piece of land if he informed him about the date and time when Babar came to collect the ‘tabeez’,” Singh said.

Police said Babar and Saddam came to collect the ‘tabeez’ on April 10 and were fed a cold drink laced with sedatives. After the duo became unconscious, Ayyub and Haidar strangulated them to death. They later wrapped the bodies in a bed sheet

The bodies were later transported in an auto owned by Haidar — that he ran between Lal Kuan and Dasna — and dumped in the Upper Ganga Canal in Ghaziabad.

“On April 11, both Ayyub and Haidar made three to four calls to the families of the two victims and demanded Rs 80 lakh as ransom. However, for making the calls they used the mobile phones of the two victims which led us to Noida. Ayyub was arrested while Haidar is still on the run,” Singh added.